Light Pattern Compasses

Discovering the patterns that guide bats at night

Bats navigate by using the patterns created by polarised sunlight. Polarised light occurs when the sun’s light waves are scattered as they come into contact with the Earth’s atmosphere – though the scattering varies according to a range of atmospheric and geographical conditions.

Mouse-eared bats are the first mammals to have been observed responding to polarised light, though many insects, birds and reptiles have the ability to view the polarised spectrum. This fascinating method is one more example of the variety and ingenuity of nature, highlighting that there are many unseen forces at work in the world around us…